Digby Update (Again)

Wednesday, Digby made one of her feet (her right foot) bleed again by picking off the scab. It wasn't much blood, but I put her back in the hospital tank. She has continued to favor this foot ever since this first started happening last week. The day before yesterday, she picked at it again and made it bleed again. It was more blood than I had seen except for the first day this happened. I monitored her closely throughout the day, and Friday she seemed to be doing better. I still kept her in the hospital tank.

Last night she started a new behavior where she would lay half way on her side. She was only doing it some and would perk up as soon as she saw me. This afternoon, I noticed she was doing it even more and the scab on her foot looks worse than it did yesterday (but she has not picked at it enough to make it bleed). She also wasn't hopping up as soon as she sees me, but she is still eating, drinking, and even playing a little.

(excuse the dirty tank--hadn't been cleaned yet for the day)

She also seemed to be sleeping a bit more than usual. I decided it was time for the vet. I felt that if I couldn't get her in today, she would get much worse by Monday. I called a vet I knew was opened to see if I could get her in today. No such luck--the avian vet had already left for the day. They gave me numbers for a couple more clinics--both already closed.

I was seriously starting to get upset and starting to feel helpless. What if this is an emergency? What if nobody will see her? What if I can't even talk to somebody?

We called a couple of the big places--Metro Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Services and Louisville Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Services (why we have two places here that have basically the same name is beyond me). They didn't treat birds but Metro gave us the numbers for more vets that treated birds and would have doctors on call, one of which was over the river in Indiana. One of the the vets they recommended was able to help us a little, but the avian vet from her clinic wasn't on call. She gave us the number for an exotics vet in Indianapolis, a vet that treats only exotics--no dogs, cats, or horses.

After calling around different vets for about an hour (we called at least seven just in Louisville, plus a couple in Indiana), we were able to talk to the on call vet at the clinic in Indianapolis. They talked to us and told us that it didn't sound like it was an emergency yet, as long as she continues to drink and eat. As of right now, we should be able to wait until Monday. They assured us, though, that if she stops eating and drinking, we can make the drive up there and they will see her even though we've never been there. I felt much better after we were able to talk to somebody.

Now, we just have to wait until Monday. It's obvious that it is causing her more pain then it has been, so she will definitely be going in. I just have to figure out which one of these 7+ vets to take her to.

I'm a bit jealous that Indy has a vet that only does exotics, but it is comforting to know that they are only two hours away from us if I do need them in an emergency.